Live Like We Want To (The Royale Siblings)

Chapter 31: Teenage Heartbreak Queen

*Sebastian*

"It worries me.... It worries all of us..." I sighed pacing around the room.

"Believe me, I'm worried, too....." Larisa assured as she did her make up. "However, we just gotta trust that she'll make the right decision..."

Acacia has been settling into Los Angeles as best as she can. It's a lot to get used to, but she's been doing well so far and is looking forward to starting college soon, especially now that she's safer here.

Today, Acacia had a meeting with her new college advisor and then having some coffee or lunch with Andy before heading home. She took an Uber there since it was somewhat early in the morning.

Emerson was spending the day with Shy, and Remington and Andrew were gonna run some errands while I did some errands of my own.

First one being to drop Larisa off at work before taking Mishka to the vet for a check-up, check some apartment listings for Acacia and Adelle, and then we were all going to meet for some rehersals with our new bassist, Jennie V,  before heading home so I can cook us some dinner at my place.

Remington roommates with Andrew and a friend of ours, and Shy and Emerson live together not far from here, but sometimes everyone spends the night at my place just because, (I'm already used to our living room looking like the play area in a preschool during nap time almost every morning).

I sighed as I sat down. "I just can't get that image of her out of my head, baby.... The bruises on her neck, the... The fear in her eyes... I know she was holding back from crying that day...... God, I hate it when my younger siblings do that to me! Don't they know it freaks me out when they hold back like that?"

"Maybe that's why they do it," she frowned, looking at me through the mirror reflection. "They don't like worrying you, Sebastian...."

I sighed and looked down, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I can't help but worry, though.... Remington, he went through a lot, he was left really hurt.... And.... Emerson and Acacia, they were just so little... Acacia was barely even born.... It's just too much pain to think about..."

She frowned and looked back at me before leaning up and kissing my cheek.

"You know, you've handled so much responsibility at such a young age, Sebastian...." she said, walking over and holding my face in her hands. "Especially when it came to your siblings.... Babe, you practically raised them..."

I sighed, thinking about it. "Acacia and Emerson do only know how to cook because of me....." I said. "Remington will put Nutella on anything and call it cooking, Christ's sake, but that's a different story."

She giggled softly. "My point is, you're an amazing older brother... Neither your mom or any of them would have made it through hardship without you.... They feel like they owe you for everything you've done for them, and that you've already spent most of your life worrying over them...."

I frowned. "They don't owe me... I'm their older brother, its my job to look out for them, to take care of them.... Difference with our situation is, I just took a bit more responsibility no thanks to our shit father walking out on us when he had enough..."

She frowned. "Well, he's not around to see you four become greater than ever.... It's his loss, has been ever since he abandoned you four... You've done more for your family than he ever could, and I know Remington, Emerson and Acacia are more than grateful to have had you always being there for them....."

I smiled softly.

"Thank you, baby... That actually helps me feel a lot better...." he smiled. 

She smiled happily up at me.